Legal Expertise

Crime overview

Rebecca appears regularly in the criminal courts for both defence and prosecution.

She represents individuals in relation to a wide range of serious offences, including those involving violence, firearms, sexual offences, fraud, money laundering, public disorder and drugs. She represents clients in a range of ancillary and related matters, including pre-charge advice and confiscation proceedings.

As well as appearing regularly for the Crown Prosecution Service, Rebecca acts for other prosecution authorities and public bodies, such as Transport for London and the Information Commissioner’s Office. Rebecca has recently gained additional experience acting in private prosecutions and is currently instructed as disclosure counsel in such a case at the investigation stage.

Rebecca has represented a number of vulnerable clients with learning difficulties and mental health conditions. As a result, she has gained extensive experience of instructing and examining experts on these issues and dealing with matters of fitness to plead. She has completed specialist training on dealing with vulnerable witnesses.

Rebecca also has experience of advising on appeals against sentence and conviction.

Notable Crime cases

R v H (2019)

Represented a young defendant with learning difficulties in a multi-handed matter concerned with the supply of Class A drugs.

R v W (2019)

Successfully defended an allegation of GBH on the basis of self-defence.

Extradition and International Mutual Legal Assistance overview

Rebecca appears on behalf of both requested persons and judicial authorities in extradition cases, at first instance at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and in the Administrative Court on appeal. Rebecca has a detailed knowledge of both Part One and Part Two of the Extradition Act 2003.

Rebecca is also able to advise on cross-border evidence gathering, mutual legal assistance and Interpol red notices.

Notable Extradition and International Mutual Legal Assistance cases

Poland v R (2020)

Currently acting on behalf of the IJA. The case raises a number of issues arising from the Requested Person’s status as a possible victim of human trafficking who is currently awaiting a conclusive grounds decision.

Belgium v H, G et al (2019)

Successfully represented two individuals sought, alongside others, by Belgium for alleged human trafficking offences. The case largely concerns whether the current prison conditions in Belgium are Article 3 compliant and whether a decision has been made to charge/try the RPs.

Pillar-Neumann v Austria (2017) EWHC 3371 (Admin)

Junior counsel led by Abbas Lakha QC for the Requested Person, in a successful appeal to the Divisional Court. The RP was wanted in Austria in relation to alleged fraud and embezzlement dating back two decades. The case concerned the application of the term ‘fugitive’ and whether extradition would be oppressive under s.14 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Public Law overview

Rebecca is developing an extensive practice in public and administrative law.

She has had significant involvement in a number of public inquiries, having been instructed as junior counsel for the Metropolitan Police Service on the Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing and on an ad-hoc basis by the Archdiocese of Birmingham in connection with the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Rebecca has also assisted in a number of judicial review proceedings, with a focus on matters relating to the investigation and prosecution of criminal cases. She accepts instructions in such matters on behalf of both public bodies and individuals.

In the context of public law proceedings, Rebecca also has experience advising on applications to withhold disclosure of material on the basis of public interest immunity.

Notable Public Law cases

Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing (2017-)

Inquests & Inquiries overview

Rebecca acts for interested persons in inquests and is experienced in inquests which engage the state’s Article 2 obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. She advises on potential liability arising from coronial proceedings, and on both public and civil law remedies available following inquests.

Notable Inquests & Inquiries cases

Inquest into the Deaths of R & M (2019)

Acted on behalf of a police officer in an Article 2 inquest into the tragic deaths of a young boy and his aunt.

Inquest into the death of RA (2020)

Currently instructed on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Service in an Article 2 inquest. The proceedings will explore issues in relation to the provision of assessments under the Mental Health Act.

Civil Law overview

Rebecca acts and advises in civil matters, often arising from criminal or coronial proceedings.

Rebecca also appears in applications for civil preventative orders, including Closure Orders, Sexual Risk Orders and Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, both in the Magistrates’ Court and on appeal to the Crown Court.

Notable Civil Law cases

Duggan et al v Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis (2019)

Acting as junior counsel for the Metropolitan Police Service in a civil claim for damages arising out of the death of Mark Duggan in August 2011.

Confiscation and Civil Recovery overview

Rebecca acts for both the prosecution and defence in confiscation, cash forfeiture and civil recovery proceedings.

Since 2018, Rebecca has assisted the legal team acting on behalf of Mrs Hajiyeva in relation to the first ‘Unexplained Wealth Order’ for the wife of the former Chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan.

Notable Confiscation and Civil Recovery cases

NCA v Mrs Hajiyeva (2018-)

The first ‘Unexplained Wealth Order’ made against the wife of the former Chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan

Extradition

Poland v R2020, Currently acting on behalf of the IJA. The case raises a number of issues arising from the Requested Person’s status as a possible victim of human trafficking who is currently awaiting a conclusive grounds decision.

Belgium v H, G et al2019, Successfully represented two individuals sought, alongside others, by Belgium for alleged human trafficking offences. The case largely concerns whether the current prison conditions in Belgium are Article 3 compliant and whether a decision has been made to charge/try the RPs.

Pillar-Neumann v Austria2017, EWHC 3371 (Admin)
Junior counsel led by Abbas Lakha QC for the Requested Person, in a successful appeal to the Divisional Court. The RP was wanted in Austria in relation to alleged fraud and embezzlement dating back two decades. The case concerned the application of the term ‘fugitive’ and whether extradition would be oppressive under s.14 of the Extradition Act 2003.

Public law

Public Inquiry into Undercover Policing2017 – Present, Instructed by the Metropolitan Police Service.

Inquests

Inquest into the Deaths of R and M2019, Acted on behalf of a police officer in an Article 2 inquest into the tragic deaths of a young boy and his aunt.

Confiscation and CivilRecovery

NCA v Mrs Hajiyeva (2018-)
The first ‘Unexplained Wealth Order’ made against the wife of the former Chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan

Civil

Duggan et al v Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis2019, Acting as junior counsel for the Metropolitan Police Service in a civil claim for damages arising out of the death of Mark Duggan in August 2011

Prior to joining Chambers, while undertaking her LL.M., Rebecca worked as a Clinical Student Attorney for the Harvard International Human Rights Clinic, where she contributed to projects on international criminal law, transitional justice and military reform in Myanmar. Rebecca also volunteered as a Student Attorney for Harvard Defenders, where she represented low-income defendants at the earliest stages of the criminal proceedings against them, and for the Prison Legal Assistance Project, where she provided assistance to inmates with a variety of legal matters. In one case, Rebecca represented an inmate in his disciplinary hearing for attempting to smuggle drugs into prison.

In 2012, Rebecca also worked as an intern at the Texas Defender Service in Austin, providing assistance to capital defence attorneys.

I, Rebecca Hadgett, am a data controller and can be contacted at 3 Raymond Buildings, Gray’s Inn, London WC1R 5BH or by telephone on 020 7400 6400 or by email at rebecca.hadgett@3rblaw.com. My Data Protection Policy can be found below.

All personal data that I process is for the purposes of providing legal services, conducting conflict-checks, marketing, defending potential complaints, legal proceedings or fee disputes, keeping anti-money laundering records, training other barristers and pupils and when providing work-shadowing opportunities, and/or exercising a right to a lien. The types of data I process vary upon the nature of the legal matter in relation to which I am engaged to advise, but can include names, contact details, biographic details and ‘special category personal data’ (such as details of racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, health, sex life and criminal convictions and proceedings).

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, the legal bases upon which I process personal data are (i) the performance of a contract to which the data subject is a party or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract, (ii) the processing is necessary to comply with legal obligations to which I am subject, or (iii) the processing is necessary for the legitimate interests set out above, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subjects which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child. When I rely on (iii) legitimate interests, my ‘Legitimate Interests Assessment’ can be found here. When I process data which has not be obtained directly from the data subject (e.g. personal data contained in evidential materials), it will have been supplied to me as part of my instructions in circumstances covered by legal professional privilege.

Depending upon the circumstances of the case, I may share the personal data with:

my Chambers, which supplies professional and administrative support to my practice;

Courts and other tribunals to whom documents are presented;

my lay and professional clients;

potential witnesses, in particular experts, and friends or family of the data subject;

I normally retain personal data for no longer than 7 years after the case has come to an end or as otherwise required by law.

I do not intend to transfer data to any country which is not either within the European Union, ‘white listed’ by the EU or otherwise permitted by EU law (e.g. to the USA under the provisions of the ‘Privacy Shield’).

Under the GDPR, data subjects whose personal data I process have the right to request from me access to, and rectification or erasure of, their personal data, the right to the restriction of processing concerning them, the right to object to processing as well as the right to data portability. Data subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ico.org.uk).

In cases where there is a contract between me and the data subject, the provision of personal data is a contractual requirement and the data subject is obliged to provide the personal data in order that I can supply legal services. A failure to provide such data may mean that I will not be able to provide the legal services.

Rebecca Hadgett is qualified to accept instructions direct from clients under the Bar Council’s Public Access Scheme. This means that members of the public who seek specialist advice can come direct to him. In addition, he welcomes instructions from solicitors, in-house law departments, qualified foreign lawyers, and clients licensed by the Bar Council to give instructions direct to barristers under the Bar Council’s Licensed Access Scheme.